I am 58, overweight again, and trying to get healthy. I am blogging about weight loss and everyday issues for women. My blog will include ramblings about the daily life of a mother, grandmother, wife and friend. I would love to have you come along for the ride!

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Monday, October 21, 2013

10 Reasons Not To Lose Weight

You get to spend less time visiting your doctor. Don’t you just love going to visit your doctor so the doctor can tell you what your BMI number is. “Oh, let’s see, you fall in the obese category.”

Pills! You might have to get off your blood pressure and cholesterol meds. I mean, doesn’t everyone live to take all those pretty little pills and pay an arm and a leg for them.

Who wants to have to shop for new clothes. Do you really need stylish thin girl clothes? Wouldn’t you be happier in big oversized sweatshirts and sweatpants?

Comfort! Should your clothes really be that comfortable? You just might miss that snug fit of your jeans cutting into your middle.

Do you really want to have people talking behind your back? “She’s had a tummy tuck!” Who wants to have their hard work talked about that way? It’s just easier to stay heavy!

My shoes are too big? They are slipping off my feet. Great! When you lose a bunch of weight you even go down in shoe size. That means buying stylish new shoes to go with the new clothes. Wow! Now it means I have to decide which boots to buy? So many decisions!!

When you lose weight you feel like you have to spend time exercising. No more sitting around like a couch potato. Going to the gym and hanging out with all those other skinny, fit people. Who wants to do that?

Energy! What am I supposed to do with all this new found energy? I used to be happy just sitting at my computer, now I want to get up and do things. Gosh, does this ever end!

Compliments, don’t you just really get tired of them? “Oh my gosh you look so good!” “You’re hot!” I didn’t have that problem before I lost the weight!!

Now, I have to put up with that look in my husband’s eye when I put on my new skinny jeans! You know that look!! I hadn’t seen that in a while! I though that was gone forever!

I am excited to announce that we now have Four Co-Hosts, Betty Taylor from Loosing My Gut While Gaining My Insanity, who has been with us since our transition to the Four Seasons party, and new to our team Kenneth Goh from Guai Shu Shu, Sandra Henslee from Scrumptilious 4 You and Lynn Huntley from Turnips 2 Tangerines. Meet Our Hosts:

So Let's Get This Party Started!!Share your food creations, gardening, clever projects, tablescapes, decorations, party themes, and inspirational knowledge ... Ok, you get the point. Join us every Thursday (opens Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm). Please stay for awhile and show some love to the guests, join us in the fun and grab a button.

We will share your posts in a variety of ways on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. We will also have features of the week! Be sure to follow our Four Seasons Board on Pinterest!

By participating in this linky party, you agree to have your posts shared on social media and Pinterest and to receive email and Google notifications for reminders about the party. If you don't want to receive notifications, please let us know.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Up until a short time ago Google was my number one traffic source. In the last couple of weeks I have seen Pinterest surge from the number two spot to a resounding number one. My Pinterest followers have been increasing at a rate of about 400 new followers a month in the last couple of months. With the increase of followers my Pinterest pageviews have been going up quickly. I have also been increasing my following on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Stumbleupon an a few other smaller websites. I have not seen a substantial increase in pageviews from those sites.So it seems my time is better spent on putting my time into building my Pinterest following right now. I have written three previous posts about how to increase followers on Pinterest.How to get over 400 Followers on Pinterest600 New Pinterest Followers in 2 Months

If you are seeing Pinterest move up in your traffic list you might want to spend time building your Pinterest account. I have found some great posts on other blogger's sites that I want to share with you. Pinterest Tricks

Monday, October 14, 2013

We all like to increase our following and Networks! I have teamed up with Moms Bookshelf & More to bring you the perfect Blog Hop! Here is a great place to link up and find others to follow. Please link up your accounts under the appropriate category, and hop to follow others.

Lists are open for a full 12 months to increase participation and visibility! Being this is a blog hop please feel free to share via social media! Only one backlink required to participate, not per linky.Feel free to add the linky codes to your website to increase traffic and participation!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

I received a free copy of the new book The Mother of All Meltdowns to review. Oh my goodness!

Moms melting down over Legos, pregnancies, children getting driver's licenses, a family fight with powdered sugar and wedding rings in the toilet. That's just some of the stories you'll get to read. Are you a mom? You will laugh at the stories they tell! It will bring back memories of your own meltdowns, and make you thankful that you haven't had some of their incidents in your own life.Do you intend to be a mom someday? Maybe you'll change your mind after reading this book! Not really! Everyone of these moms have had their meltdowns, but they will tell you their children are the joy of their lives. Wouldn't you just love to have your son tell everyone in the public restroom that mom is pooping? He yells it very, very loudly and just keeps telling them. Of course, this would be the time the restroom is be extremely full and there is a line out the door! I don't know if I could ever come out of the stall! You'll want to read about this meltdown! This is just a small sample of the great stories you can read.I read the book in two sittings. I would have read it straight through, but as moms know life just keeps you too busy sometimes. The book is available at Amazon.com

Friday, October 11, 2013

Make sure to take a look at My Weight Loss Blog Directory!!! Quick Bacon and Eggs

Do you have some busy mornings when you don't have time to fix breakfast? When my morning is too busy to sit down and eat, I make my bacon and eggs to go.Instead of having high sugar foods for breakfast, you can make bacon and eggs and take them with you on the road or eat them before you go out the door. This would also be a great way to make bacon and eggs at the office. If you have a small kitchen there you can make a hot breakfast at work. Very little clean up later!You can give your kids bacon and eggs to eat on the way to school if you are running behind. Instead of a high sugar Pop-Tart or breakfast bar, give them a hot breakfast of bacon and eggs.Bacon and Eggs in a Mug Recipe2 Eggs2 T Milk2 T Shredded CheeseSaltPepper2 Slices BaconI started out by putting 2 slices of bacon in the microwave to cook while I finished getting ready to go. After the bacon was cooked and cooled I got out a mug and broke 2 eggs into the mug that I sprayed with Pam. I added 2 T Milk. Next, I salted and peppered it to my taste. I stirred it and put it into the microwave to cook for 45 seconds. I took the eggs out and stirred them up and added 1 slice of crumbled bacon.

I returned it to the microwave and cooked it for another 45 seconds. I took the mug out and topped it with shredded cheese and the other slice of crumbled bacon.I returned the mug to the microwave and cooked it for another 15 seconds to melt the cheese.I grabbed a plastic spoon and took it to go. I was driving myself so I took a bite at each stop light on the way. They stayed hot in the mug until they were completely eaten. When I hurried out the door, I didn't leave any mess behind. No dishes to load into the dishwasher, expect a measuring spoon and a fork. If you would rather have sausage you cook do the same thing with a pre-cooked sausage patty. Ham would work well too! Or if you like your eggs plain or with veggies you could do that too!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Tummy Tuck???I had the biggest laugh yesterday! My friend, who has been one of my best friends for over 30 years, told me something yesterday. She and I started out together a few weeks ago. We worked out for several years together when we were younger.Last Friday, we worked out, then her sister-in-law, met us for lunch and shopping. We spent the afternoon shopping, I wrote about it here, The 100 Diet Is Paying Off. That's the day I bought a size 4 skirt. Anyway, after I left, apparently her sister-in-law told her that I had gotten a tummy tuck. My friend disagreed and said "No, she hasn't!" Well, it got into a long discussion and the sister-in-law says "there is no way she could have gotten her stomach that flat without a tummy tuck!" "You'll never convince me she hasn't had a tummy tuck."When my friend told me yesterday, I laughed so hard! I told her maybe I should show her the naked stomach and she would know that I didn't have a tummy tuck. Now, I have been thinking, maybe I should just let her think that. What do you think? And will she ever believe me?I have been amazed at the changes in my body since I gave up most processed foods. My stomach has truly melted away. I have written about it in previous posts. Have Your Cake And Watch Your Belly Shrink.

I have been following The 100 diet. I don't want anyone to be confused. After the first 4 weeks I increased my sugar calories to 300. Now, I don't really count the sugar calories anymore. I just stay away from processed foods. I have increased my vegetables and fruits as I have gone along. I am still losing 1/2 to 1 pound weekly. I usually eat an apple each evening. I eat lots of squash and zucchini since it is in season and I can get it locally. I ate tomatoes when I was picking them fresh from my garden. I still am getting a few. So I eat meat, eggs, nuts, cheese, fruits and vegetables. I eat beans occasionally. I don't feel like I am on a diet at all. I feel like I eat whatever I want. I just don't want processed foods anymore. I did have pizza last week when my family got together after the Colts game to celebrate my birthday. All it did was make me hungry! I really didn't think it was all that great. I used to be addicted to pizza.I love my eating plan and it is working great. Here is how I started out on my plan. Detailing the 100 Diet PlanI think my stomach is in better shape than it has been in over 20 years. I turned 59 this week.If you would like to see some of my progress pictures here is the 30 pound weight loss picture. Those were taken 6 weeks ago. I see lots of changes since then. I haven't taken any lately. I am at 36.5 pounds lost now. When I get to 40 I will take some new pics!

So Let's Get This Party Started!!Share your food creations, gardening, clever projects, tablescapes, decorations, party themes, and inspirational knowledge ... Ok, you get the point. Join us every Thursday (opens Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm). Please stay for awhile and show some love to the guests, join us in the fun and grab a button.

We will share your posts in a variety of ways on pinterest, twitter, facebook and Google Plus. We will also still have features each week too! Be sure to follow our Four Seasons Board on Pinterest!

By participating in this linky party, you agree to have your posts shared on social media and pinterest and to receive Google notifications for reminders about the party. If you do not want to receive notifications, please let us know.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

My doctor told me that I should only lose 1 to 2 pounds a month. I didn't follow directions very well. I needed to make changes that would allow me to lose more quickly. I have not had rapid weight loss, but I have lost consistently.I think most people prefer to lose weight quickly. Even though it took months or years to get to their current weight, they want to get to their goal weight in weeks. You gain weight by eating more or by eating the wrong types of food, so it makes sense that if you reverse that you would lose the weight. I really don't know if it's better to lose fast or slow. If you take it slow I feel like it gives you time to totally change your habits. If you lose too fast do you really have time to learn new eating habits?If you don't lose fast enough sometimes you get discouraged and quit.In your experience, which way it best? Have you lost fast or slow? Have you kept it off long term? Here is my record of weight loss. Loss 36.5 pounds totalStarting weight - 184.5Week one - 180.0Week two - 179.5Week three - 179.0Week four - 178.5

It's time to start prepping for the Christmas holiday! That means thinking about all those fantastic presents that Santa is going to bestow upon our little ones. Maybe it means putting together an awesome holiday party. How would you like to make that happen a little easier for one very lucky person?
Join my Blogger Opportunity! It's a Christmas CASH Giveaway Event and I would LOVE your help!
The giveaway event will run from Nov 1st – Nov 22nd with the winner receiving their cash on Black Friday once entries have been verified so they can start shopping for Christmas!
I am aiming for a CASH GIVEAWAY of $500 or more {depending on the number of participants.} The giveaway will run similar to my one year blog anniversary giveaway – with co-hosts and sponsors and will be a fantastic event! As you all know my one year blogiversary was a HUGE success and it turned into a ton of new followers to the blog and social media outlets as well as a nice spike in traffic for everyone.
Here is the link to participate:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_GRR1HnETKjquRqQt-SLFdTvDxHqCyDCuVk3cVKzM5I/viewformSign-ups end Oct 20th.Once you sign up, please email if you would like to post the event opportunity on your blog. {Think REFERRALS!!}
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Monday, October 7, 2013

Make sure to take a look at My Weight Loss Blog Directory!!! Weight Loss Strategies

I have lost 36 pounds and I thought maybe it was time I wrote about my weight loss strategies. I have been using The 100 diet. It is similar to the Paleo/Primal/Low Carb diets. Here are my top 10 Weight Loss Strategies1. Decide on an eating plan. If this plan is just cutting back calories on the things you eat everyday, then it probably won't work. Most people will feel deprived. You need to start eating very differently. You need to make changes that you can live with, but definite changes. I personally decided to give up processed foods, for the most part. The 100 sample menu.2. Learn to cook new things. I decided it was time to learn to make new vegetable dishes. I did some research and learned to cook Spaghetti Squash. I had never cooked it before, but it has quickly become a new favorite. I have starting eating many more vegetables. They are very low calorie and the carb content isn't too bad. The great part is they are full of vitamins and are really good for you. I didn't think I cared for squash and zucchini. Before this, the only way I liked zucchini was baked up in a sweet bread. If you experiment with cooking and seasoning you might find that you really like some of the different vegetables. 3. Give yourself a real reason to lose weight. My big reason for losing weight is because as I am getting older I am more and more concerned about my health. I want to be healthy and active for many years to come. I couldn't wait any longer, it was time to get started. Do you want to be healthier and more active so you can have more fun with your children? There are many reasons to change your life, you just need to find one that resonates with you.4. Clean out your cupboards. This sounds simple enough, but it really is helpful. I have had a hard time with this because my husband has a sweet tooth and has been bringing things into the house all during the time I have been losing weight. I mentally cleaned out my cupboards. If you can actually clean them out I think it is much easier for you. 5. Find a friend that is working on their weight at the same time.At the time I started I couldn't find anyone who was willing to start getting healthy with me. Since I have had good progress I have found people who are interested in how I did it and want to make changes to their life now. I used my fellow weight loss bloggers to be my partners in my weight loss. If you need some support there are many great people that are motivational on my Weight Loss Blog Directory.6. Make a commitment to yourself. Write your commitment down in some way. Make a contract with yourself. Put it in writing. I did it by making promises on my blog. I proclaimed that I was changing my life. There were a few days when I might have eaten things that I shouldn't have and I thought about having to write about my slip-ups and knew that wasn't something I wanted to do. It was easier to walk away from the offending food. I did have a couple of slip-ups but then I knew I needed to get right back on track or my weigh-ins would be bad. I put a picture of my scale on my blog, even when I had bad weeks. Here is my worst week!7. As you lose weight, clean out the bigger clothes. When you do this it makes it hard to regain the weight. You don't have anything to wear. It is much more fun to buy the smaller sizes than to go out an buy the bigger sizes again.8. Plan out your daily meals in advance. When you have a plan in place it is so much easier to stay on track. If you have an issue with eating out at lunch, then plan your meals. Have you tried making Salad In A Jar. This is a great way to plan your meals in advance.9. If you have to have sweets, eat fresh fruit. Processed sugar is very addictive. If you stay away sugar, then fruit will taste really sweet to you and will take care of your sweet tooth.10. If you can exercise you will see body changes. I have not been doing a great job of exercising throughout the weeks of my weight loss. Weight loss really is about the food you put into your mouth. I am exercising consistently now(for the last 2 weeks). I wish I had been exercising all along because it is great for toning your body and making you feel more energetic.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

My husband is a HUGE fan of the Jacksonsville Jaguars (yeah, I know). In an effort to raise his spirits and send some mojo to Jacksonville, I am embarking on making a football wreath. I was inspired by Mom Paper Scissors who linked up with us on Week #3 of the Blog Hop Blitz.

My lovely co-hosts have been busy, teaming up to host/co-host the Four Seasons Blog Hop. Week after week, these ladies are showcasing awesome recipes and blog posts.